Notice of PVI Special General Meeting
Notice is hereby given for a Special General Meeting (SGM) for Parents of Vision Impaired (NZ), to be held Saturday 31 October at 11:30am at Hamilton Novotel Tainui.
The SGM is to discuss the proposal to delete Clause 8.8.5 “If there are no nominees for a vacant Board Representative position then, during the AGM, nominations shall be taken from the floor” from the PVI Constitution.
Rationale for proposed change:
For many long-standing members, being able to nominate Board members on the day, without prior notice, represents something important about PVI; that anyone can put themselves forward, on the day, without needing to navigate a formal process first.
However, as PVI has grown and evolved, the Board now recognises the risk that this Clause now brings to the organisation. When someone can be nominated and elected to the Board on the day, with no notice, there’s no opportunity for members to know who they are, what they bring, whether they understand who we are or recognise the responsibilities of governance.
As the expectations on Board members (financial, legal, and strategic) have grown, the Board recognises that we need a nomination process that gives our members information ahead of time, provides time to have conversations with nominees, and supports PVI to sustainably build and maintain a Board skilled at governance. You can find and download a copy of our Constitution down the bottom of this page.
Notice of 2026 Annual General Meeting
Notice is hereby given for the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) for Parents of Vision Impaired (NZ), to be held Saturday 31 October at 11:45am at Hamilton Novotel Tainui.
As a member-based organisation, holding an AGM is a constitutional requirement. It is also essential for upholding PVI’s commitment to transparency and accountability as a registered charity and incorporated society. We hold our AGM at our annual conference, which helps to make sure we have a quorum as well as reporting directly to members.
PVI Board Nominations
If you want to nominate someone for the PVI Board, you will need to do so by 5pm on September 30th (one month prior to our AGM, as required by our Constitution). Board terms are for two years. To nominate someone, fill out the nomination form, which you can download below.
Tāngata Whenua. Nomination received: Jared Newing
My wife, Stephanie, and I live on the outskirts of Hamilton. We were blessed with our son, Micah, after many years of trying to start a family. At birth, we found out that Micah was born with bilateral microphthalmia, meaning his eyes did not form and develop properly in the womb and that he would be blind in both eyes. We didn’t know what to expect from our journey as Micah’s parents, but we have both embraced it fully, with all the challenges and positives that it brings.
We have immersed ourselves in the blind and vision-impaired community to strengthen our understanding of what life may look like for Micah as he grows older. I have also joined the Waikato Goalball team and, this year, played with the Manawatū Titans, where we won the national tournament.
I own a plumbing company in Hamilton, which has allowed Stephanie to spend Micah’s first two years at home with him, navigating the complexities and challenges that we, like many other parents of vision-impaired children, face. Through this experience, I have seen firsthand how important organisations like Parents of Vision Impaired (PVI) are to families. I want to help ensure that all parents and whānau have access to the support, connections and resources these organisations provide.
As a multicultural country, I believe it is important that decisions are made with consideration for families from different cultural backgrounds and that all voices are heard when determining what is best for our tamariki. I would be honoured to bring my personal experience, business and leadership skills, and commitment to our vision-impaired community to the PVI Board, and I would look forward to working alongside the Board to support whānau on their journeys.
Anywhere in New Zealand. Nomination received: Tirzah Shepherd
I live in Whitford, Auckland (on a lifestyle block) with my husband Rodger. We have been here for the last 21 years. Our daughter Ashley has CVI and right hemiplegia due to oxygen deprivation at birth. Ashley now lives by herself (with lots of support from us) in Howick and is 28 years old. Our youngest daughter Juliet is working in Cambridge, UK after completing her Masters in Engineering
I am a chartered accountant, and I work part time on several small companies that we are involved with. I also am Treasurer of two local charities/community trusts in our area and look forward to bringing these skills to the PVI Board. We have been part of PVI for over 2 decades now, we attend conference as work allows, and you may have seen me comment now and then in the Facebook group.
I have the required skills and time to take on the Treasurer role and keeping the PVI accounts up to date. But also I have a lot to offer other parents, having been on this vision impaired/disability journey for some time now. Invaluable knowledge has been gained! I keep an active lifestyle through competitive tennis, and lots of mountain biking and walking. We also have a short haired border collie that always requires attention and walks.
Upper North Island. Nomination received: William McGrath
It has been a privilege to serve on the PVI Board and contribute to a community that has played such an important role in our family’s journey. I am seeking re-election as the Upper North Island representative so I can continue helping ensure the voices of families are heard and supporting PVI’s work to improve opportunities and outcomes for vision-impaired children and young people.
My wife, Jess, and I live in Pōkeno with our three children. Our youngest son, aged six, is vision impaired and lives with Joubert Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that presents a range of health challenges. Alongside our daughters, aged 19 and 15, we have learned the value of community, advocacy, and shared experience. These experiences have strengthened my commitment to supporting other families on similar journeys.
In my professional life, I work in technology leadership at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare. When I’m not working, you’ll usually find me enjoying music, tinkering with vintage computers, or brewing beer.
Central North Island. No nominations
Upper South Island. Nomination received: Bonnie Herdman
I live in North Canterbury on a lifestyle block with my husband Ryan and our family. Our daughter Inara is soon to be 16 and has complex and ongoing health needs. Born with a right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), she required complex neonatal care and lifesaving interventions from birth. She was also tube-fed and oxygen-dependant for over 2 years.
Inara developed progressive myopia at an incredibly early age due to these interventions and has needed close monitoring, and regular specialist care to help slow its progression. Despite the challenges she still faces regarding her sight, reduced lung function, ADHD, ASD and OCD, Inara is incredibly creative and has a passion for art, animation and voice acting. Inara’s ongoing health needs have required a significant level of care throughout her life, preventing me from returning to regular employment. Supporting her has given me extensive experience navigating health, disability, education, and support services. This experience has shown me the importance of strong advocacy for children, young people, and their families.
Advocacy has been an important part of my life as my experiences with Inara led me to advocate for children with feeding difficulties, including helping to establish Tube Wean NZ, presenting at the National Nurses Conference in 2013, and advocating for change at government level. I have also supported other families navigating complex health and disability systems.
More recently, I completed a New Zealand Diploma in Business – Administration and Technology strand and am currently completing a second Diploma in Leadership and Management. In my spare time I enjoy working on my classic cars, listening to music, and attending live concerts. I would love the opportunity to bring my lived experience, advocacy, and organisational skills to the PVI Board and represent and support families throughout the Upper South Island.
Lower South Island (one year term). Nomination received: Rebecca Young
My husband Justin and I live in Mosgiel, just out of Dunedin. We have two children; our oldest Abby is an architect. She has recently purchased her own home here in Mosgiel which we are delighted about. Our youngest, Lucas, 14 has Coats Disease, which is a rare, non-hereditary eye disorder that damages the retina, leading to vision loss. We found out he had this condition when he was 11 and started to have difficulty with his sight.
For over 20 years I worked in the retail sector, eventually working as a Manager of a busy 24/7 operation. I resigned 5 years ago so I could support and care for my mother, who has Lewy body dementia. It was in the midst of this change that we found out about Lucas’ diagnosis. It was a lot to take in! For now, I am on a sabbatical, considering my options going forward, and what my future might bring. I am looking forward to contributing to the PVI Board, and being able to support other families as they traverse life and their challenges.
Proxy voting forms
If you can’t attend the SGM or AGM, you can give someone else who is attending your proxy vote. This means that this person votes on your behalf at the meeting. These are also useful to ensure we have sufficient numbers (a quorum) at our AGM. You will need nominate another parent to carry your proxy vote prior to the SGM or AGM beginning.
Draft minutes (2025 AGM)
At the AGM we review the minutes from the previous AGM and either approve them or make changes. You can access a copy of the 2025 AGM minutes here:
Matters Arising from 2025 Minutes: Updated financial report. At the 2025 AGM the financial accounts were draft. The annual audit has since been finalised. The final set of accounts for the financial year ending 30 June 2025 is available to download:
2026 Reports
Our 2026 Annual Report has been completed and is available to download:
The full set of finalised financial accounts for 2026 is completed and is available to download:
Copy of PVI Constitution
You can read a copy of our current Constitution, in full, via this download link:
